


Childhood Trauma

by princessofpower



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Child Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Jonas is the worst, Multi, the rape warning is only for one chapter, will add more as chapters get added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:14:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27279337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessofpower/pseuds/princessofpower
Summary: Snapshots from Rusty's childhood and teen years. (And Action Johnny too). Each chapter is stand-alone, but there are some common threads that run throughout.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 12





	1. Where's Malcolm?

**Author's Note:**

> Jonas shows Rusty what he's been working on in the lab, which only raises more questions.

Rusty enjoyed these days the best. No adventures. No parties. No weirdos in costumes. His dad had been toiling away on some new invention for the past few days, the only time when things were quiet around the compound. And that was just the way Rusty liked it. He hummed quietly to himself as he ran the _Venture Industries_ pen across a thick yellow legal pad. He was trying to draw a picture of the mummy on the cereal box. 

He wished his dad could just work in the lab all the time. Of course, he knew it wouldn’t last. It was only temporary. Soon, it would be back on the X-1, headed to who knows where. But hey, at least Rusty could enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasted.

Rusty frowned down at his drawing. It didn’t look right, but he couldn’t put his finger on why. The lines on the paper made it hard to see what he was doing. He wished he could have drawing paper and markers to use, but he knew better than to ask. Dad thought art was a waste of time. And he was right. Rusty knew his drawing would never benefit mankind the way super-science did. Rusty frowned, turning the page in his notepad.

“Rusty...” His father called, pulling the boy from his own thoughts. He looked up at the man in the kitchen doorway. 

“Yeah, pop?” 

“Come into the lab, son.” Jonas was all smiles, but the request made Rusty’s stomach drop. He remembered having to test the Brisbyland rides, he hurt for a week after that. Still, the boy obediently got up and followed his father to the lab.

“I’ve been working on a new robot.”

“Like Helper?” Rusty asked.

“Oh, much more advanced than our little friend Helper.” Jonas let out his trademarked hearty laugh, scooping Rusty up into his arms.

The redhead smiled and wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. He liked being held, it made him feel safe. Something he didn’t feel often. Plus, he knew now he didn’t have to test anything. His dad just wanted to show him what he’d made, and that made the boy feel special.

“This is Venturion, Rusty.”

He cocked his head. The face. It looked so familiar. It took him a moment, but then it clicked. “He looks like.... Mr. Fitzcarraldo....”

“Very observant!” His father beamed, giving him an encouraging pat on the back.

Normally, Rusty would have been proud. But he was put-off by seeing Malcolm’s dad’s face on a robot. “I don’t understand....”

“Don’t you see, Rusty? I’ve brought our friend back to life.”

Back to life? Rusty didn’t even know he’d died. Dad had been locked in the lab, and his uncles never talked to him unless it was to tease him or yell at him. “Where’s Malcolm?”

“Huh?”

“Mr. Fitzcarraldo’s son. Malcolm.”

“Oh.. Malcolm. Your little playmate.”

Rusty nodded.

“I’m afraid he... Didn’t make it...”

“What do you mean?” No answer. Rusty thought for a moment longer. “Malcolm’s dead....?” He asked in disbelief. 

His dad just nodded. Rusty couldn’t comprehend it. Malcolm was just a kid... How could a kid die? It just didn’t seem like something that happened. That should happen. That could happen. “Can you bring him back?”

“Rusty... When people die they are gone forever. Do you understand?”

“But-”

“I’m a Super-Scientist, it’s true. I’ve made incredible break-through’s. Firsts for mankind. But death is important too, Rusty. If nobody died, it would be chaos. It isn’t sustainable. That’s why we must only bring back truly important people. Don was an incredible man, and now he is an incredible creation.”

Rusty didn’t understand everything his dad was saying, but he got the message loud and clear. Malcolm wasn’t important.


	2. Learn to Take a Joke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A scene from a Christmas party at the compound.

“Please Uncle Rodney....” Rusty begged. He hated when his uncles drank. They got even meaner than usual. He had to pee, but the Action Man was blocking the entrance to the hall.

“Come on, Rusty,” Rodney teased. “Try and get past me.”

“You know I can’t....” He was just a little kid. He could never push a giant man like him out of the way. And his uncle knew it too. “I’m gonna have an accident. _Please_...” He begged again. His voice broke. He knew he was going to start crying soon, but he didn’t even care. It would be less humiliating than actually peeing himself.

He tried again in vain to push past, but of course it was no use. He heard his uncles and a few other grown-ups laugh. 

“Rodney, stop it!” It was a woman’s voice. “Just let him through.”

“Oh, Come on Rose. I’m just teasing the boy.”

“Uncle Rodney...” Rusty whined. Once again, looking for mercy. But it was too late. He felt the warm liquid trickle down his legs. He couldn’t believe it! He’d pee’d himself in front of everyone... His face turned bright red, and he covered his eyes with his hands. He just wanted to disappear. He heard people laughing. His Uncle Horace said something but he couldn’t make it out over the sounds of his own sobbing. Tears streamed down his hot cheeks. Why was this happening to him!?

“What is wrong with you?” The woman’s voice asked. 

“Lighten up, Rose. Kid’s piss themselves all the time.”

“I hope you’re proud of yourself. You made a little boy cry on Christmas. You sure are tough!” Rusty felt the woman take his hand and pull him forward. When he opened his eyes, he realized she’d gotten past Uncle Rodney. “It’s okay, Rusty. You don’t have to cry.”

“I pee’d myself...” he choked out.

“It’s not your fault. We’ll get you all cleaned up, okay?” She took Rusty into the bathroom and locked the door behind them. “That was mean what he did to you...” She offered.

But Rusty, as always, was untrustworthy of adults. There was no way for him to know if she meant the words she was saying or not. 

When Rose realized Jonas’s boy wasn’t going to respond to her, she brushed it off and started running the bath. 

“I don’t want you to see me naked...” He said in a tiny voice from behind her. 

“I won’t turn around, okay buddy?” She was trying to sound as friendly as possible. 

Rusty waited a moment to make sure she really wouldn’t, before peeling off the soiled clothing.

Rose put them down the laundry chute as he got in the now full tub. Making sure not to look, just as he’d asked.

“What am I gonna wear now...?”

“There’s no need to worry. Want me to ask your dad to bring you something?”

“No, please don’t!” Rusty answered right away. Louder than he intended to. “Don’t tell him what happened... He’ll be mad at me...”

“Rusty.... It really isn’t your fault. Don’t you believe me?”

He didn’t answer.

Rose sighed. She couldn’t get through to the kid. “I’ll just... Go and find you something... Okay?”

“Okay...”

Rusty watched her leave. The door closing behind her. How was he going to go back out there? Everyone thought he was disgusting. And they were right... But he knew if he didn’t, dad would be angry. And dad being angry at him was the worst feeling in the world. Even worse than being embarrassed in front of all those people. He sniffled, wiping the tears from his face. He had to stop drying. Dad hated when he cried.

He tried so hard to make dad like him. He wanted to be good. He wanted to be someone dad could be proud of, but no matter what he tried it never worked. 

And his uncles, it was like they wanted him to fail. Dad always says they’re just having fun with him. That boys should be able to take a joke. And he tries, he really does. He wants his uncles to like him, because if they like him, then dad will like him too. But Rusty doesn’t understand what’s funny about their pranks. He always ends up hurt, or embarrassed or scared. Maybe _that’s_ the funny part... Maybe they want him to cry. Because it makes everyone laugh. 

Yeah, that must be it... That must be what they meant when they told him to take a joke, right? Maybe if Rusty let everyone make fun of him, dad would like him. Of course, he didn’t want to....

What he wanted was for his dad to yell at Uncle Rodney for being mean. He wanted him to have been the one to say what the lady said. To hug him and tell him it was okay. But he didn’t. He never did. So even though it felt right, it must really be wrong. It was so confusing... But Rusty knew his dad always did the right thing. And he also knew that the right thing sometimes felt wrong. 


	3. Trauma Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny spills his guts to Rusty

Johnny hated being dragged to these stupid parties at the Venture Compound. All it meant for him was being locked in a room, babysitting whatever kids were unfortunate enough to be there. Besides, now that Johnny was a teenager, he was painfully aware of what actually went on at Jonas Venture’s parties. It made him sick that his father wanted to be involved. He of course claimed it was only to keep up a relationship with the other super scientists. ‘ _Some relationship..._ ’ Johnny thought.

The blond moved quickly though the crowd. He wanted nothing to do with these people. He hated all of them. 

He went straight to the bedroom at the end of the hall. The only room in the compound he’d ever spent significant time in. As he shut the door behind him, he was surprised to see Rusty was the only one there.

He looked up at him from his book with wide eyes. There was something almost eery about the kid, Johnny had always thought so. He was deathly pail despite all the time he spent outside. His blue eyes always wide. Like they were fearful and untrusting of everyone. Even those he knew.

“Hey, Rust!” he greeted, tussling the other boys hair. Trying to put him at ease a little.

“Hi...” He answered in a small voice. That was always how Rusty talked. The Venture kid never had the confidence Johnny had at his age. He was always afraid and unsure of himself. It was weird for a boy adventurer to be so timid. But Rusty was always the odd one out.

“Disgusting, aint it?” Johnny asked with a shrug, motioning to the door with his eyes.

Rusty just nodded, but he still looked unsure.

The blond frowned. Ehh, Rust was only 12. He guessed he hadn’t caught on yet. “Nevermind....” He slid down onto the floor, leaning his back against the bed. This was going to be agony.

The two boys sat in awkward silence for several moments before Rusty finally spoke again. “...I wish my dad was more like your dad...” It was so quiet, Johnny didn’t even realize he said anything for several moments. When he did process it, he let out an involuntary scoff.

“ _Why_?” Distain dripped from his voice.

“I....I don’t know...”

“You’re _lucky_ , Rust. My dad doesn’t give a shit about me.”

“What do you mean? He saves you. I’ve seen it. He does care.”

Johnny shook his head. “If he cared I wouldn’t be kidnapped in the first place.... You know, he doesn’t even ask me what happened.” He was staring at a piece of lint on the rug as he spoke. “It’s all a game to him.”

Rusty nodded. “I hate being kidnapped. Dad says it’s part of the adventure.”

Johnny nodded, eyes still on the floor.

“I just want it to stop...” His voice broke as he spoke. It sounded like this was the first time he had expressed the thought to anyone, and he was afraid of the consequences. 

Johnny knew he’d hit a nerve with the topic. He thought about everything those guild creeps had enacted on him. He could only imagine what they’d be able to do to a wuss like Rusty. 

“Johnny...” 

“What?”

“What was it...?”

“What was what?”

“What happened.... That your dad didn’t ask about.”

“Oh, well... You know.... Anything...” It was true. He never asked. So Johnny never answered. As much as he would have liked to. As much as he would have liked his father to hug him, tell him it would be okay. That it would never happen again. But of course it would. It was all a game, and Johnny only exsisted as a game piece. He was a prop in his father’s exciting life.

“Well... What was the _worst_ thing?” 

“I don’t know. It’s all bad.” Rusty was starting to grate on him. He always did. 

“I just... I know my worst...”

Johnny looked over at the kid. He wanted him to ask. Just like he had wanted. “What happened?”

But then, Rusty shied away again. “You first...”

Johnny sighed. But he remembered what it felt like. To hold in the secret. It didn’t leave his mind for weeks. Maybe even months, time was hard to keep track of lately. Race had found him on the ground. His stomach had hurt so badly, but when his dad ran tests on him he said there was nothing there. It was from stress. He couldn’t do that to Rusty. He wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Maybe his secret needed to come out too.

“Okay... You really wanna know?” he asked, reaching into his pocket.

Rusty just nodded.

The older boy held the joint he’d fished out between his fingers, lighting it with a click from his zeppo. He took a deep inhale. He couldn’t do this sober. 

As he exhaled he looked over at Rusty. Staring at him expectantly. He thought for a moment this story was too intense for the kid. But the things he’d seen Rusty go through with his own two eyes told him otherwise. Besides, if he held it in any longer it just might kill him.

“We were in the jungles of Brazil. My dad had been called to run tests on some plant life or something. Course, it turned out the doctor that called us there was a supervillian. Big shock there, hey Rust?”

The redhead didn’t respond but he could tell by the look on his face that he felt the same way Johnny did.

“I was alone in the jungle. Looking for Bandit. Next thing I know....”

~~~~~~~~~~

The world slowly came into focus. What happened? He’d been trying to find his dog, now all of the sudden he’s here. He clutched his head, pain seared through it. He didn’t recognize his surroundings. It was a cold grey room. The air felt damp. The stone floor was covered in dirt, with bugs creeping across it and up the walls. 

It was safe to assume he’d been kidnapped again, he pushed himself to his feet, realizing only then how badly his legs also hurt. He needed to look for a way out, but he could barely stand. He was only able to take a few steps before he had to sit down again.

‘It’s okay...’ He told himself. ‘Race is probably on his way...’

When he was younger he would have worked though the pain. Forced himself to get up and make a run for it. But now, at 14, he’d long ago given up on trying to appear tough and capable. Being a pussy was a lot better than making his injuries any worse.

He ran a hand along his shin, trying to ease the pain. It didn’t help, though he did notice a lump the size of a golf ball. That was going to be one nasty bruise. 

_‘Creeek’_

The sound got Johnny’s attention, and he snapped his head up. The door had opened, and Johnny was no longer alone. He’d never seen the man before, but if he had to take a guess he’d say he was somebody’s henchman.

“What do you want?” Johnny spat.

“I just want to know what a little boy is doing all by himself out in the wild...” The man answered, closing the door behind him.

“I’m not alone. I’m with my family, and they’ll be here soon!”

“I don’t know about that...”

Johnny swallowed nervously, but tried to keep his confident expression. Was this guy for real? Did he really think he was all by himself? If he didn’t even know he was Dr. Quest’s son then.... Maybe Race wasn’t on the way. 

“How are your legs?”

“They hurt.”

“Glad to hear it. Seeing as I was the one who bashed them in...”

“Why...?” He asked, subconsciously leaning back against the wall more.

“So that you cannot run away.... I thought I would come down here and check on you...”

Johnny nit his eyebrows at the man, following him with his eyes as he crossed the room towards him. It was never a good sign when these guild goons wanted him alone. Separated from his family. What was he going to do? Torture him? 

“Please... I don’t have any information... Please... Just leave me alone...”

The man didn’t answer. He knelt down in front of him and ran his hands roughly along his shins. Johnny hissed at the pain. “Stop that! Get your hands off of me!” He tried to push him away.

The man retaliated by slapping Johnny hard across the face. Johnny swung a fist back at him, but before it made contact he was grabbed in a vice-like grip.

“Owe!”

“Not the brightest, are you boy? Or would you _like_ your boney little wrist to be snapped in half?” The man squeezed and twisted it with such force, Johnny couldn’t be sure he hadn’t already broken something.

“No, no! Please don’t! Please...Please...” He begged. The pain was unbearable. And the idea of waiting around for hours to be rescued with a broken bone terrified him. 

“That’s a good boy,” he laughed.

He continued what he’d been doing. Moving up Johnny’s shin, past his knee and up his thigh. 

Johnny rubbed his wrist trying to sooth the pain, but it didn’t help. The foreign hands on him were making their way back down. Without warning, the boy was suddenly pulled by his ankles with such force, his head is smacked hard against the concrete floor. And echo rings through the room. Or maybe that’s just his head ringing he can’t tell. It hurt so badly, and he didn’t even have time to brace himself for it. He opens his mouth to cry out in pain, but no sound comes out. He stared up at the ceiling for a solid ten seconds, in a daze.

There are still hands all over him. The man’s knee is pushed against his stomach. That’s why he’s having trouble breathing... “Get off of me...” He manages, but it comes out weaker than he intended.

No response.

Johnny squeezes his eyes shut. If he won’t get off, he needs to focus on getting air into his lungs. He breaths in as far as he can, and then out several times. The man pulls at the belt loops of Johnny’s jeans, slowly sliding them down. 

He tried to get away. Squirm out from under him, but it was impossible. The man was so heavy. And Johnny’s damaged legs made his lower body useless. 

He was naked from the waist down. Filthy, calloused hands roaming freely across his body. He felt his stomach do a somersault. “ _Please... Please_...” Johnny whispered, his head shaking back and forth. Whatever was happening, he needed it to stop. But there was no way for him to make it stop. 

He cried out in pain as his sore wrists are pinned down. Ground into the sharp stone floor with what feels like the entirety this man’s weight.

‘Oh God, Race, where the hell are you!?’

His thoughts are interrupted. By the most intense pain he has ever felt in his entire life. It feels like his entire body is being torn apart from the inside. Tears and snot leak from his face. He would do anything to make this stop, but there was nothing he _could_ do.

“Shh...” The man said. “It’s okay, Johnny....It’s all okay....”

“ _N-no_....”

“Yes... Yes... You are doing so good....”

Then there is something on his face. Lips. Or a tongue. Or both. He doesn’t dare open his eyes to check. It’s a tongue.... It’s licking his lips now. Forcing it’s way into his mouth. It’s disgusting. Like a wet, velvet bag. Johnny flailed his head wildly. But he couldn’t get away. 

\----------------------------------------------

“A-and... He just kept telling me... How good I felt....” Johnny trembled. His hands shook uncontrollably. His cheeks soaked in tears. 

The whole time he’d kept having to remind himself he wasn’t there. It wasn’t happening again. He was in Rusty’s room... Rusty... Maybe he shouldn’t have told him as much as he did. But he couldn’t help it. Once he started, he just kept talking. He’d never told anyone any of that before.

“He didn’t even ask me....” Johnny sobbed. “He didn’t even ask me what happened.... He doesn’t care about me....”

He wiped his dripping wet cheek with the back of his hand, taking a deep breath. “I lied there on the floor... W-when I was alone again... For so long...” he said between breaths, “It felt like, I don’t know... Hours.... I just wanted Race... Or Bandit.... But I had no one....”

He took a deep inhale of the joint still between his fingers.

“B-but I’m glad Race and my dad didn’t see me like that.... I must have looked.... Pathetic.... _Disgusting_....”

“No... If they saw you, they’d be mad.”

“You think? You think Race would hate me...?”

“No, no. Not at you. At that man. For doing that to you.”

Johnny didn’t answer. He just stared straight ahead for a moment, before being hit with another fit of sobs.

He felt Rusty’s arms wrap around him, and without even thinking about it he did the same. Squeezing his friend tightly against himself. 

“It’s okay. Okay?” Rusty said. 

“Okay....”

“Even my uncles... They don’t even _like_ me, and even they... I mean....Race wouldn’t say that. Or think that.”

Johnny pulled away. “Thanks, Rust...” He wasn’t totally convinced. But he appreciated the kid. 

“I just... I know what it’s like. When nobody will talk to you about what happened.”

“You’re the only one...”

“Wanna know the worst thing one of those weirdos ever did to me?”

Johnny turned to Rusty. Looking at him thoughtfully. “Yeah. Tell me.”

“This guy. This scientist. He hated my dad. Well, they all do, but he hated my dad’s science. He was always talking about how useless it was. I didn’t really understand everything he said. But I know he wanted to run his test on me to get back at my dad.”

“Typical...”

“Yeah. So, he... He....” Rusty swallowed. “He told me to put my hand flat on the table.... And I did... Then he took this... It was like, this hammer sort of thing. He hit me with it.” The boy’s voice was getting quieter the longer he spoke. But he didn’t stop. “On my fingers. He broke them all. One at a time... It hurt so bad. I w-was crying... Begging him to s-stop... And you know what he did?”

“What?”

“He looked at me... Looked at me and said; ‘I don’t have any sympathy for you.’“

“Then what...?”

Rusty just shook his head. “I don’t know... I think I blocked it out. That happens sometimes...”

“Lucky you.”

“I guess...”

“God. That must have messed your hand up for life.”

“Mm, it did... For a long time. My fingers were all crooked and they hurt when I moved them. But then one day... I just woke up and, they were back to normal. Like it never happened. Maybe I made it up...” Several stray tears fell from his face, one clinging to his eyelash.

“What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know... My dad always tells me... I imagined things, or, more like, I make things sound worse or something. He says I’m ungrateful for the life I have.” He was breathing much heavier now. “He makes me feel like I’m crazy. What if he’s right? I mean, he’s smart and I’m not so he must be right... I-I just...”

“Rust, stop. You aren’t crazy!” He put his arm around the kid and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Here,” he offered him his joint. “This’ll calm you down.”

“I... Don’t think I should...”

“Just try it.”

“My dad will get mad if he finds out.”

“Okay...” Poor kid needed _something_....

The thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Who’s in here?” A woman’s voice asked in a playful tone. She opened the door, stepping halfway inside.

“Hey!” Johnny snapped. “There’s kids in here!”

“Sorry, I-”

“There’s a million rooms in this hell-hole! Can’t you people let Rusty have one!?”

“Alright, I didn’t know!”

“Get the fuck out of here!” He picked up the book Rusty had been reading earlier and hurled it across the room. It hit the door just as the woman closed it. Johnny wished it’d hit her face. 

“They should keep that sick shit away from you...” Johnny hissed.

“It’s fine....”

“It’s not!” He wondered if his dad would have kept him away from this party if he knew what had happened to him. Considering he didn’t protect him from anything else that hurt him, he strongly doubted it.


	4. Injured in the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Action Johnny is not equipped to help Rusty, but what choice does he have?

“Don’t make me hurt you.” Johnny warned, a confident smirk on his face.

“Don’t make me laugh”, his captor shot back. The man had his hair in a tight grip, pistol pointed at his head.

“Fine.” In one swift movement Johnny kicked the guy’s shin while grabbing the man’s arm with his free hand. Judo flipping him over his head and throwing him hard against a tree. The gun flew from the clumsy goons grip, which Johnny caught in mid-air.

“Don’t fuck with Action Johnny, prick!” Without a second thought, he shot the guy in the leg so he couldn’t follow him. 

Ignoring his cries, he made his way deeper into the jungle. Pistol first and alert to possible danger. Bandit trailed behind him, like always.

The deeper they ventured, the man’s cries were drowned out by the ambience of the nature surrounding them until they disappeared entirely.

“Any idea how to get back to camp, Bandit...?” Expecting an answer from his dog, he jumped when he heard a voice that was recognizably human. “Who’s there!?” He cried, tightening his grip on the gun.

“Johnny...?” said a weak voice.

His head turned to the direction the voice had come from. Narrowing his eyes on the familiar kid.

“Rusty?” He lowered the weapon.

“Johnny? Is that you?”

“Don’t you recognize me?” he asked. The boy adventurer flicked on the safety before putting the pistol in his jacket pocket, just like Race had taught him. “But yeah, it’s me. It’s Action Johnny.” He approached, kneeling down beside his friend.

“I can’t see you,” he said, looking right at him, but his eyes were squinting. 

“At all?”

“You’re just a blur.”

“What happened?” He asked, brushing Rusty’s bangs from his face in an attempt to see what might be wrong.

“My ankle... I think it’s broken...”

Johnny touched it, earning a blood-curdling scream from the younger kid. He quickly retracted his hand.”I’m sorry!”

“Oh God! It hurts!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Please... Help me...”

“Where’s your dad?”

“I don’t know, I got lost...”

Johnny looked around. He hadn’t a clue which way could lead back to camp. “I’m lost too...”

“Are we gonna die out here?”

“No! Of course not! Don’t say that, Rust. I’ll get you out of here, I promise.” How exactly, he had no idea. “Communicator watch?”

“I tried... It’s broken. I think it broke when I fell.”

“Great. I don’t have mine either. That ransom-seeking asshole threw it in the river when he kidnapped me.”

“I guess you have no water then either...”

“No. Sorry Rust....How long have you been out here?”

“A few days... I think...” he answered between shortened breaths.

“Alright...” Johnny looked around, trying to come up with a plan. Everything looked the same. He had no idea which direction to head in. But he couldn’t just wait here. Rusty could die. “I’m gonna pick you up, okay?”

“Okay...”

He picked the younger boy up bridal style, figuring it was the best way to carry him without hurting that ankle again. “Come on, Bandit...”

“Maybe he should lead...”

“Huh?”

“Umm... He’s a dog. So... Maybe he can smell his way back?”

“Hey, that’s not a bad idea. You’re pretty smart, kid.” And he always thought Rusty Venture was just a useless little wuss. But he had the only plan.

......................................................

He’d been following Bandit for what felt like hours. This wasn’t right! They should have been back at camp a long time ago. They were going the wrong way! And he couldn’t hold Rusty much longer or he’d collapse. “Bandit... Heel...” he said, totally out of breath.

He set Rusty down gently, only now realizing he’d fallen asleep at some point. The blond practically fell over as he sat down himself.

“We’re lost...” he said to nobody in particular. “I don’t know what to do!” He was scared. He was all alone, with a little kid and a little dog. Rusty’s pessimism had been completely warranted. If he didn’t die of exhaustion, some wild animal would get him. He started to cry. They weren’t even tears of sadness. They were tears of stress. His dog cuddled up to him, trying to comfort him. His body heaved with every sob, Bandit licking at his trembling hands.

Eventually, the sun began to go down. He was grateful for a break from the blazing sun, but nightfall also meant more animals would start coming out. And two little boys and a tiny lap dog probably wouldn't be much of a challenge... Thank god he had the gun. 

As he went over his plan for a predator attack, Rusty began to stir awake. “W-where are we...?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Still in the jungle,” Johnny answered. Sounding annoyed.

“Why haven’t they found us yet...?”

“Because. I’m stupid! I brought us further into the bush! We should have stayed where we were!”

Rusty didn’t respond. In fact, they were both silent for a long time. It was at least four full minutes before Rusty spoke again.

“I’m cold...”

Johnny looked over at the younger kid. He wore his signature t-shirt and shorts and he somehow looked even thinner than usual. And he was always a little nothing of a boy.

“Here...” Johnny took off his jacket and put it on Rusty, zipping the zipper up all the way.

“Thank you....”

“Eh, don’t mention it,” he hand-waved, face expressionless. 

As the jungle got darker, Johnny struggled to stay awake. Not wanting to be left vulnerable. But despite his efforts, he eventually fell into a deep sleep. His body was exhausted after all.

Johnny awoke to the sound of Bandit barking. “W-what is it, boy?”

He looked over and saw a massive snake slithering over to them. “Fuck...” He reached for the gun, but then remembered it was in his jacket pocket. Trying his best not to make any sudden movements, he reached over to Rusty’s still sleeping form. 

Bandit, ever loyal and protective, was already growling and prowling towards the snake. Getting in the way of Johnny’s otherwise clear shot. “Bandit, come! Heel!” He didn’t listen. That dog never listened when he was distracted. 

Not knowing what else to do, Johnny lunged forward and scooped up the dog, shielding him with his body. He stopped down on the slithering creatures head as hard as he could, but it was still alive. It sunk it’s teeth into his shoe, which caused the boy to panic. He shook his foot as hard as he could, trying to get it to let go. 

Eventually it dislodged and flew back into the jungle, sending Johnny falling backwards. In an attempt to keep himself from crushing the dog in his arms, he turned his body in such a way that caused him to land flat on his face. 

“Fuck!” he cried. God damn did that hurt! He picked himself up and wiped his face. His hand becoming covered in dirt and blood. “Oh my God I think it’s broken...” he sobbed. Now, he truly felt like he would die out here. “Race! Where the fuck are you!? Where the fuck is Rusty’s stupid family!?” he called out to nobody. 

“What’s going on? Who are you yelling at?”

“Nobody...” When did _he_ wake up?

“You’re bleeding.”

“I know!” he snapped, trying to stop the bleeding with his sleeve.

“Well... What happened?”

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not... God, I’m so hungry...” Rusty said to himself, clutching his empty stomach.

“ _Well what do you want me to do about it!?_ ”

“W-why are you so mad?” he asked, lip quivering.

“I don’t know! Maybe because I’m stranded in the jungle with a broken nose that hurts like a bitch! I’ve got a little dog and a little kid to take care of on top of it, and nobody gives enough of a shit about me to come and find me! I’m hungry too, Rusty! I’m not complaining about it!”

“S-stop yelling, please!” Rusty begged, covering his ears with his hands.

“Why should I!?” he shouted, slamming his fist that had been pressed against his nose to the ground. His face now smeared in blood and tears. “I have to do everything! You’re a boy adventurer too! But you aren’t helpful at all! Follow the stupid dog, _great idea_!” His breathing was erratic. He wanted to go on. To ask why Rusty was such a pussy even though he was raised an adventurer just like him. But he stopped when he heard Rusty crying. His heart sank. He shouldn’t have taken everything out on him. Should he apologize? He didn’t. He just bit his lip and looked away.

The longer he sat there, the more he realized Rusty was right. They had to eat _something_. They’d die if they didn’t. He could shoot an animal or something... But there weren’t any around. And besides, he had no way of cooking it. He looked around, seeing nothing but dirt and leaves. Guess they had no other choice. Or maybe he was delirious. Either way, Johnny began gathering leaves.

Rusty looked up at him, sniffling. But clearly too afraid to ask what he was doing.

Johnny took a leaf from the pile he’d gathered and took a bite. Forcing it down was harder than he thought it’d be. It was dry and tasted horrible, but he managed to.

“Here...” he handed one to his companion. Rusty took it, looking at the other boy skeptically. But he was so hungry, he actually scarfed it down.

“This is horrible...” Rusty commented, as they continued their “meal”.

“I know... I don’t know what else to do.”

“This isn’t making me less hungry....”

“Me neither....”

Despite the shared opinion, they kept forcing them down out of desperation. As if, in vain, it would make the awful hunger pangs actually go away.

That night, as the sun began to set, Johnny felt as though he’d accomplished nothing. 

"Johnny!”

“What!? What’s happening!?” he blinked a few times looking around. He’d almost fallen asleep. Rusty was on the ground, writhing in pain. Clutching his stomach. “What’s wrong, Rusty!?”

“I don’t know... I don’t know...” he repeated over and over, between shortened breaths.

Johnny knelt over him, not knowing what to do. Oh God! Was it the leaves!? Was there some sort of parasite on them or something!?

He wanted to make the kid stop hurting, but he couldn’t. All he could do was watch.

Rusty closed his eyes, his breathing becoming shallower, but still groaning in pain.

The older boy ran his hands through his hair. Oh God, why was this happening!?

“Keep breathing, Rusty...” Johnny reminded him. But his chest was barely moving now. Remembering something his dad had told him once, Johnny rolled Rusty over onto his side. Earning another groan of pain. “I’m sorry, but I have to...” He started pushing down on the kid’s back, between his shoulder blades. It was supposed to open up the lungs. At least, if he was remembering this right...

He did this for several minutes, until he heard Rusty take a laboured and scratchy sounding breath. “That’s good, Rusty, that’s good...” He encouraged. But Rusty was no longer responding to him verbally.

But it was working... It was working...Right...?

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He awoke when the morning sun pierced his eyes. Not even aware he’d fallen asleep. Johnny looked up when he heard a noise. It sounded like a vehicle approaching. As it got closer, he recognized it as Team Venture.

As they pulled up, Johnny wanted to scream. He wanted to demand to know what took them so long. To chew them out for abounding Rusty. To tell them everything he'd been through was their fault. But he was too exhausted. He couldn’t move at this point, let alone speak. His mouth was dry from dehydration and his eyes were dry from crying.

He had no reaction as he was picked up and placed in the dune buggy. His entire body ached and his mind was a fuzzy mess.

When he was brought back to camp, dad had to hold a glass of water to his mouth for him, and Race had to pick him up and put him to bed. He fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow, not waking up until the next night.

“Well, look who’s awake,” his dad said. He was smiling, but Johnny could tell it was fake. He didn’t seem at all concerned about what had happened to him. He never was, but he’d been out there a long time... He thought maybe he’d care this time.

“Where’s Rusty...?”

“With his family,” Race answered.

“It’s my fault...” he said, looking towards the ground. “It’s my fault, Race. I tried my best, but I couldn’t help him.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Rusty...”

“Rusty is just fine, Johnny,” dad told him.

“You... You saw him...?”

“Well, no. But I talked to Dr. Venture.”

“He said he was fine...?”

“Yes. They headed home this morning.”

“He’s lying then.”

“Johnny!”

“He is! Rusty is dead! He died last night... And it was all my fault... I tried, I tried! But he stopped breathing...”

“You’re not thinking clearly. You were out there for days,” Race offered.

“No! I swear...”

“Johnny, I want you to apologize right now.” His dad said.

“What? For what...?” Wasn't he listening!? He let Rusty die!

“For calling Dr. Venture a liar.”

“But Jonas-”

“ _Doctor_ Venture!”

“Doctor Venture _is_ a liar!”

“Rusty _isn’t_ dead.” Race assured him. “Doctor Quest, he obviously feels guilty about the boys injuries.”

“That’s no excuse, Race. I do not tolerate back-talk.”

“Even if Rusty is alive, Jonas is _still_ a liar! He lies all the time! Rusty told me-”

“ _Johnny_! You will speak of my colleagues with respect! And refer to them by their title! Do you understand me young man?”

Johnny stared back at his father. His fist clenched at his side. “No! No I won't! Dr. Venture is an asshole! And I _hate_ him! I almost died because of him!”

Johnny stared back at his dad, waiting for him to say something. But his response was something he didn’t expect. His father grabbed him by the arm, and back-handed him hard against the mouth.

His head flew back. Johnny cried out, looking at the man in disbelief. It wasn't unusual for his dad to hit him. Or worse. But he'd never beaten him when he was already injured before.

“Now. I want to hear an apology.” His father said, keeping his son’s arm in a tight grip.

“I’m sorry...” he said in a small voice, not daring to break eye contact.

“You’re _sorry_...?”

“Doctor!”

“ _For_...?”

“I-I’m sorry for being disrespectful to Dr. Venture... A-and for talking back...”

“If I ever hear you say such a thing again, you will be severely punished. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Doctor....”

“Good.” His dad let go and walked away. Leaving the broken boy behind him without a second thought.

Johnny looked to Race for some kind of comfort, but he just turned away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has an idea for a chapter they'd like to see, let me know.


	5. Sweet Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rusty's infamous sixteenth birthday party.

Gotta love Jonas Venture, having an open bar at his 16 year old son’s birthday. Johnny suspected he would have been served, even if he _wasn’t_ already 18. 

The blond nursed his drink while surveying the scene before him from a corner of the yard. Jonas was surrounded by beautiful women. Which really wasn’t all that unusual. Johnny was positive one of them was Taura Satana. Another one looked an awful lot like the chick who played Marsha; Queen of Diamonds on _Batman_ , but he couldn’t really be sure.

Of course, there were no chicks Rusty’s age. In fact, now that he got a good look around, Johnny realized he was the only teenager there. Even the weird English chick wasn’t here. It made sense, though. Because this wasn’t really a party for Rusty. It was a party for Jonas. Just like everything else in that kid’s life. The cartoon, the magazine shoots, the gala’s. It was all for Jonas. He must of learned a lot from the so-called great Doctor Quest...

Rusty’s family though, they were somehow even worse than his. Sure, his dad was a neglectful, abusive piece of shit. But at least he had Race. Who did Rusty have? His uncles? Or so he called them. 

The Action Man. His arm was around some model, because of course it was. None of the Venture clan ever seemed to care about loyalty to their wives. Johnny didn’t know him too well, but the time he had spent with the man had cemented in his mind he was a selfish, psychotic asshole. No wonder Jonas liked him.

Johnny set his drink down, sensing a pair of eyes on him. Gentleman. An ironic name if there ever was one. Johnny looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. It just had to be a pool party, didn’t it? Colonel Gentleman was another one of Rusty’s “uncles”. He looked away, pretending he didn’t see the guy. He wished he had something to make himself look busy with. But all he had was his glass, which he found himself tapping with his finger nail. As if that would do anything.

“Ah, Benton Quests boy...” Great... He’d come over... “Haven’t seen you around in a long time.”

“Well... I’m not really in the adventuring business anymore.”

“Not going to follow in your daddy’s footsteps, laddie?”

Johnny shook his head. 

“And what _are_ your plans?”

“I wanna be a... Athlete...” Well, it was sort of true. What he really wanted to do was live on a beach, smoke weed and surf. But everyone thought that was a waist of time. But he was done being in the spotlight, he just wanted to disappear. Besides, it was a step up from snorting coke by the dumpsters behind the mall which he’d been doing lately. It was embarrassing. He hated it. But he couldn’t stop. 

“You should come by some time, laddie. I know plenty of olympic athletes.”

Johnny felt a boney hand grip his hip. He averted his gaze down. He wanted to push him off. Call him a perv. But he froze up.

“Hey...Uhh... Where’s Rusty anyways?”

“Oh, the boy’ll be making his grand entrance any moment.”

Johnny barely processed the answer, just relieved he’d taken his hand away.

“Rodney and I have a little surprise planned for him,” he said with a smirk.

“What kind of surprise?” He’d heard enough of Rust’s sob stories to know it probably wasn’t a new car...

“Oh, you’ll see...” Was the only answer he got. 

\------------------------------------------------------

Rusty looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. His face covered in acne. He had scrubbed it raw last night, but of course nothing helped. He wished there was a woman living at the compound so he could use some of her makeup or something. Or maybe people would be able to tell.... He wondered if he should cover them up with band-aids, but that might be even worse....

He sighed. Pool party. Thanks a lot, dad.... God forbid he have any say in his own birthday party. But dad still treated him like a little kid. Making all of his decisions for him. If he’d only bothered to ask, Rusty could have told him the last thing in the world he wanted was to be seen in a bathing suit.

He ran a comb through his hair one last time. Really just a way of avoiding having to go out there. But if he didn’t get down there soon, dad would be furious. Embarrassing Jonas Venture wasn’t something any sane person would ever want to do.

He hesitated when he got to the back door. He did not want to open it and go out there... He wanted to turn and run away, but he knew that wasn’t an option. He took a few deep breaths, trying to psych himself up before he slid the door open and stepped out onto the patio.

_“And now, the man of the hour; Rusty Venture....”_

The laughter of the adults all around him cut his soul like knives. He stood there in stunned silence for several seconds. Unable to move. He didn’t know what to do. How to react. He was angry, humiliated. But more than anything else, devastated. He pulled his shorts back up and ran away. He couldn’t stay out there another second.

\---------------------------------------------------

Rusty blew his nose into his fifth tissue. He hadn’t cried like this since he was a little kid, but he couldn’t help it. He’d gotten dressed and locked himself in his bedroom. He was strongly considering never speaking to his father again.

_knock knock knock_

“Go away!” Speak of the devil. 

“Rust, it’s Johnny.”

“Leave me alone....” 

“Come on. I brought you a drink.”

“I’m not thirsty.”

“A _booze_ drink.”

That was awfully tempting. Tentatively, he got up and unlocked the door. 

“You need this,” Johnny said handing him a glass.

Boy did he ever. He took it, gulping down almost half of it right away. 

Johnny closed the door and sat himself in a nearby chair. 

“Wow...” Rusty sniffed. “I didn’t think my dad invited anyone my age.”

“Just me,” Johnny shrugged.

Rusty set his glass down and buried his nose in another tissue. 

“I’ve gotta be straight with you, man. That was... The worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I wish I was fucking dead.”

“Rusty...”

“Not really, I just....” He shook his head, unable to complete the thought.

“Your dad’s a real piece of work.”

“And I know just what he’ll say too... _Learn to take a joke, Rusty... It’s just some good natured ribbing_...”

“This happen a lot?”

“As long as I can remember... Sometimes it feels like he hates me. I know my uncles do. They just... It’s like they get off on torturing me. They want me to be miserable.”

“They’re sick, Rust. I mean, that was really wrong. Like _really_ fucked up!”

“He’s gonna say I overreacted. I just know it.”

“If Race saw someone do that to me, he’d kill them.”

That comment stung. He had nobody who cared about him enough to protect him from being humiliated. His dad loved him more than anybody else on the planet, and he laughed at him. “He laughed at me...”

“Who?”

“My dad. My own father.”

“Some father! Face it, Rust. He doesn’t love you.”

“That’s not true!” He said back, quickly. But somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought that maybe it was. “He just... Doesn’t understand... He’s from.... A different generation.”

“My dad’s from the same generation, and he would never do that.”

“He beats the shit out of you, though.”

“Not saying he’s a _good_ _person_. But I don’t make excuses for him anymore, and you shouldn’t either.”

“Yeah, well... I don’t have anyone else. _Nobody_ cares about me.” His lip quivered, and he took another sip of his drink to try and prevent himself from breaking down again.

“I care about you.”

“You know what I mean. An adult. A parent.”

“What about your mom?”

“Please! If she cared, she wouldn’t have left me... All alone...” With him....

“I thought she died.” He’d always just assumed Rusty’s mom had met the same fate as his own.

Rusty shook his head. “No... She didn’t want anything to do with me. She gave me to my dad. Didn’t even put her name on my birth certificate. Doesn’t even wanna... _Know_ me...”

“I’m sorry....”

Rusty shook his head dismissively. “Does my dad even notice that I’m not down there?”

Johnny shrugged. “I didn’t talk to him...”

“He’s gonna be so pissed at me tomorrow morning.”

“Does he hit you?”

Rusty shook his head. “I should really... Go down there... But I just... _Can’t_....”

“What, so those assholes can make fun of you?”

“So I can avoid the lecture... He’s gonna be so mad.”

“ _You_ should be mad at _him_!”

“I can’t be...” He couldn’t tell his dad how hurt he was by what happened. He didn’t care about things like that. It wouldn’t make any difference. “Would you do something for me...?”

“Anything, man....”

“Just... Stay with me... So, I don’t have to talk to anyone else....”

“‘Course...”

Rusty downed what was left in his glass and slammed it down. “Okay...” Johnny was right. He _should_ stand up for himself, but his dad was right. He was weak. He was always right....


	6. Nothing's For Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny's just turned 19 and already hit rock bottom.

Johnny shook as another round of vomit forced it’s way from his stomach. He was clinging to a toilet seat, wearing nothing but a t-shirt. “I hate you...” he said between heaves. “I hate you so f-fucking much....”

“You did this to _yourself_!” Said he man on the other side of the door.

“Let me out of here, man...” he squeaked out. Sounding rather pathetic.

“Not until you’ve stopped heaving bile into my toilet.”

“I need another hit... You fucking promised...”

“Nothing’s for free, laddie...”

“I _did_ what you wanted....”

“Quiet. Now, I’ll be back in a few hours. Get cleaned up, for Christ’s sake...”

“You can’t leave me in here...!” But he was ignored. No answer. Just the sound of footsteps, and then of the bedroom door latching shut.

Johnny sat and stared at the bathroom door for several minutes. He was so sick it hurt. But the withdrawal symptoms were nothing compared to the shame he felt. Col. Gentleman was right. He did this to himself. He was really this pathetic. He was so desperate for a fix he’d agreed to fuck Rusty’s uncle. 

He wiped the vomit from the corner of his mouth with a piece of toilet paper. This was the last thing Race had wanted for him. Race had always believed in him. That he’d grow up to be something special. But he was wrong... He was nothing. He was just a junkie. He was basically a prostitute. No. Lower than that. At least prostitute’s made money. He was just a whore. A whore to a man he despised.

On shaky feet, he picked himself up off the ground. Clinging to the bathroom sink he looked at himself in the mirror for the first time in days.

He hated the person staring back at him. He was gaunt and frail. He had massive black circles under his eyes. His body still looked defined from years of adventuring, but his stomach swooped inward and his ever-present tan was beginning to fade. How long had he been here? He didn’t even know. Time seemed to all congeal together into one indistinguishable collection of fragmented memories.

He didn’t even know what Horace had been giving him. He said it was coke, but it felt different. Probably laced with something. He knew so much better. He knew this asshole wasn’t to be trusted, but he didn’t care. He was so desperate he didn’t care. 

Johnny didn’t even feel a rush anymore. He just needed the shit to feel normal. He was at a point where if he went too long without it, he got sick. He can’t think, or move, or function. Which was what was happening right now.

He peeled off his T-shirt and turned on the shower. He hated himself. That he was doing what that awful man told him to. But what else could he do? He wasn’t strong enough to leave himself. And he wouldn’t be strong enough to even make it a few blocks, let alone home, unless he got another hit. And he wouldn’t get another hit unless he did what he was told. 

He would give anything to close his eyes, and wake up in Palm Key. Race hugging him. Telling him it would be okay. That he would help him. That he would make him better somehow. But that was never going to happen. Race was gone. And nobody else cared about him.

He stepped under the hot water. It did nothing to sooth his headache. He wondered if he should have filled the tub instead and drowned himself. But he knew from experience, drowning was a painful way to go. 

All he could do was clean himself the best he could. If only he could wash away the shame he felt.

Some time passed. How long, he couldn’t say. Withdrawal was a torture, and a constant reminder that he was slowly wasting away. His father kept telling him he’d be dead in three years at the rate he was going. That he sure picked one hell of a suicide method...

When he heard the click of the bathroom door unlocked, he hated how his heart raced in anticipation of a hit. Especially when he realized Horace had brought back food. He was starving and he didn’t even realize it. He had tunnel vision for getting high, and he hated himself for it. But more than that, it scared him.

"Please man...” Johnny said between bites of crunchy lettuce. Sitting half naked on the edge of Gentlemen’s ornate bed.

“You’ll get what you want soon enough.”

“I’m sick...”

“I know.”

Johnny turned away. He felt three inches tall. He didn’t want to beg for drugs. He’d rather be anywhere else. Doing anything else. Why couldn’t anyone ever have any empathy for him? “Nobody cares about me...” he mumbled to himself. Not quiet enough apparently. 

"Enough with the self pity. Moping is so unattractive.”

Johnny’s face contorted to a scowl. Still staring down at the carpet. “I don’t want you to be attracted to me...”

“Then why are you here?”

“You _know_ why...”

“So stop.”

“I _can’t_!”

“Because you’re weak.”

“Just shut up... I hear this enough from my father...”

“Oh, I thought nobody cared about poor Johnny.”

“He doesn’t... He just doesn’t want me to embarrass him...Imagine if he saw me like this...”

Horace laughed. “I don’t think yer old man’d have too much room to talk in that regard.”

“You think I don’t know about my dad and Race? That’s not what I meant... This is different...”

“Ah, cause you’re a coke whore.”

“Don’t fucking call me that!”

“Well it’s what y’re, isn’t it, boy?”

“I fucking hate you! I hate all you motherfuckers! The only one of you that ever treated me right was Race.”

“Yer’ right about that one. I remember I hooked up with him once, one of Jonas’s parties. Beautiful man... Afterwards he was yammering on about you. You were a real little brat as a kid. Whenever I saw ye’, I always had the urge to smack some sense into ya’. Guess your father had the same idea. Yeh, Race was all shaken up cause your daddy was hittin’ ya. ‘ppearently, he caught ya’ right in the side of the head an’ ya’ collapsed. Race wanted to stop him, but he loved yer dad too much. I told him to stop his bellyaching! I said, kids like that deserve it once in a while. You were spoiled little back-talking brat.”

Johnny continued to stare at the ground. Trying to process what he just heard. Race Bannon, the only person in his life who ever loved him, loved his abusive piece-of-shit father more. Enough to not say anything. Not to help him. To just stand there and watch. And _this_ was the asshole that told him to. “How could you...?”

“Came up with one hell of a sex move that night. When ye’ fuck someone from behind and sucker punch-em in the head. Call that the _Action Johnny_.”

“What...?” Johnny looked at the older man in disgust. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re a fucking monster.”

Horace brushed him off. “Nobody’d even remember yer name if it weren’t for that little move. Really caught on. You and Rusty Venture, Lance Hale... You lot should _thank me_ ,” he chuckled.

“You name a lot of sex acts after kids...” Johnny spat.

“Oh, stop. You’re reading too much into it, laddie. Now, do you want your fix or what?”

“ _Yes_...”

“Then get down there and suck my cock.”

Every part of him wanted to say no. He wished so badly he had the strength to tell him to go fuck himself. To tell him he wouldn’t be given commands like a dog. That he had self respect. But instead he found himself sinking to the floor. On his knees like the pathetic human being he really was. He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. The only thing he had to be thankful for was that there weren’t any mirrors around. 


End file.
